


A romcom with Greek Heroes and Gay agendas

by Qekyo (orphan_account)



Category: The Iliad - Homer, The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And thetis is a bitch but its ok bc shes my bitch, Bad Humor, Bad Parenting, Boys In Love, But like they both dont know that they're pining, Fluff and Angst, High School, How Do I Tag, Jock Achilles, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of child endangerment and mistreatment, Multi, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Heartbreaker Patroclus, Oblivious Patroclus, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pat is an unreliable narrator, Patroclus is babey, Teenage Drama, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:14:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24772963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Qekyo
Summary: She made a sound of displeasure when her eyes landed on the ugly bruise on his temple."Do you want me to beat him up?""No Brie, please do not deck the Aristos Achaion." He muttered, they started walking towards the entrance of the school."Patroclus Chironides." She stopped in her tracks, a hardened scowl etched into her normally soft features. "I don't care if he has pretty eyes and a big dick, he pushed you down the stairs and scared your beautiful face!" She cried."I don't know if you caught up Brie, but I like his pretty eyes and questionable dick size." Patroclus sighed dramatically, draping himself on Brisies' small frame like a blanket. "The things I do for love.""Pat, you passed out in his arms after saying he was hot."Chaos, gays and a little bit of teen drama, Patroclus wonders if this is actually the gods messed up version of a Netflix Romcom.[Updates rlly slow, somewhere around the 20th of every month]
Relationships: Achilles/Patroclus (Song of Achilles), Briseis & Patroclus (Song of Achilles)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 155





	1. Patroclus

**Author's Note:**

> I finished the song of Achilles and I'm sobbing. I've really been wanting to write an actual multi-chaptered Highschool fic for a long time now, but haven't really gotten into it. Well, here's the time.
> 
> Excuse my shitty writing and my even shittier attempts at humor, I don't really anything besides one shots so forgive my terrible pacing and character dialogue.
> 
> Please kudos and comment !
> 
> also, there is a wip playlist for this story if you'd like to listen to it while reading;
> 
> Still Into You- Paramore  
> Runaway Baby- Bruno Mars  
> Someone You Like- The Girl and The Dreamcatcher  
> Intentions- Justin Bieber  
> I don't want to watch the world end with someone else- Cinton Kane  
> Happiness- Rex Orange Country  
> Coffee In Shanghai- Ulrik Munther  
> Bad Idea!- Girl in Red  
> Home- Cavetown

Patroclus exited his highschool's clinic holding an icepack against his swollen temple, a nasty purplish bruise had started to form against his bronze colored skin, it stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of his unblemished face. He could still feel the phantom pains that spiked momentarily between intervals from the back of his head.

His first time going in the clinic in his 4 years of highschool was an embarrassing experience for sure. Falling down a flight of stairs and landing flat on the side of his head in the crowded hallways with people immediately surrounding him like moths to a flame. The nurse said he was lucky, concussion with only a skin injury to scath from his ever so dangerous fall. Maybe it was his thick skull that saved him, or maybe it was the sheer will of not graduating before death.

_"Oh my god I'm so sorry-- please don't die , holy shit Oddessyus help--"_

A voice like honey, raw and husky called out from his memories. He remembers a figure standing above him with hair that resembled hand spun golden wool, held in a small ponytail with wisps of hair that fell down on his chisled face. His clouded eyes wondered around his surroundings, blurry figures of his batchmates and the bright red jackets of the school varsity team caught his eyes. They stood behind the figure who was crouched over him and tending to the searing pain in his skull. It took Patroclus a momentary pause to try and make out the person who pushed him down the stairs in the first place.

He had bright green eyes.

Patroclus wondered how pretty would be if they weren't open so obscenely wide in panic. This is unfair, he thought. Slik woven hair that framed his perfectly angled jaw, skin that seemed luminescent in the brightly lit hallways. And stupidly beautiful green eyes that reminded Patroclus of the emeralds that his mother was so fond of. This is so unfair, he thought again, how is going to be mad at this man if he was too ridiculously hot. It felt as if the entire ocean was shoved into his ears, they felt clogged and watery, he was slowly growing numb.

But then again, the feeling of said man's hands cradling his head with such gentleness and the warmth that seeped into his hair almost made Patroclus forgive him for pushing him down 6 steps. 

And then it hit him, blonde hair? Green eyes? Body of a greek god? Patroclus was being cradled in the hands of his highschool's most sought after guy, the Ace of the soccer team, the literal most wanted dick of the century. He's seen girls literally rip each other apart, brutal fights in classrooms and mutiple destroyed friendships due to this beauty of a man.

Patroclus may or may not have had a slight infatuation with said guy for the past 4 years.

Correction: Patroclus did not have an infatuation, he had an obsession for him since freshman year.

It was like one of his favourite daydreams come to reality. Being in the arms of the star athlete whislt being swept off his feet as they drove into the sunset, but with less of the driving into the sunset and literally getting swept of his feet and off the stairs and a mild concussion. He should say something, he thought. His bleary eyes tried to focus on the face in front of him that was asking if he was ok. 

He tried to gather his composure and say something that wouldn't embarrass him and haunt him years after. He assembled his jumbled thoughts and pushed away the sharp pains that surged every time he attempted to life his head. The voices around him started to fade. He opened his mouth to give the absolutely ethereal person infront of him some reassurance, tell him that its going to be okay and he should probably head to the infirmary--

Is what he meant to say.

"You're really pretty"

And then he passed out.

  
Now that he remembered what he said Patroclus wanted to slam his head on the nearest wall and run infront of a moving train. He did not just tell his crush that he was pretty while falling unconscious in his arms in the middle of a crowded staircase, but yet he did. 

He waited in front of a classroom still with an icepack on his head now metled. The bell rung a minute ago and now students were either exiting the building or heading to the cafeteria for their lunch break.

Peering his head to the side of the now almost empty classroom, a hand came out from the door to poke him right on his recently inflicted wound. He hissed out in pain as his head throbbed slightly, bringing up the almost completely melted icebag back onto his festering wound.

"Sorry Pat! I was aiming for your nose." The owner of the hand that poked him emerged from the door way. With skin darker than his and a mop of curly ringlets tied into two tight buns on her head, a messenger bag strapped across her petite frame. She made a sound of displeasure when her eyes landed on the ugly bruise on his temple."Do you want me to beat him up?"

"No Brie, please do not deck the Aristos Achaion." He muttered, they started walking towards the entrance of the school.

"Patroclus Chironides." She stopped in her tracks, a hardened scowl etched into her normally soft features. "I don't care if he has pretty eyes and a big dick, he pushed you down the stairs and scared your beautiful face!" She cried.

"I don't know if you caught up Brie, but I like his pretty eyes and questionable dick size." Patroclus sighed dramatically, draping himself on Briseis' small frame like a blanket. "Besides, I'm fine. It'll probably gone by the end of the day."

Briseis huffed, her arms crossed against her chest, cheeks puffed slightly in visible irritation. She quickened her pace so that she was ahead of him. Patroclus sighed , Briseis was usually calm snd aloof, only showing her anger when people purposely made her mad. That didn't apply to Patroclus, the dark skinned girl was very protective of him, like two peas in a pod, they were inseparable honor students and even more inseparable friends. 

"You're the one who's parents wanted you to be a doctor, with a fall like that you could've been comatoized! Or worse!" She was greatly exaggerating the situation, but Patroclus could undedstand why, she was close as family to him. "If you had gotten the other end of the stick, Achilles Pelides wouldn't live to see graduation."

Patroclus laughed, he quickly jogged up to her. He threw the thawed icebag into a nearby trashcan, his headache had decreased into a slight cramp when he tilted his head, the bruise would probably dissapear in a few days but other than that he came out in decent condition.

"Don't worry, Chiron won't let me die before I graduate." His foster father was very admant about following a career in medicine. Being the one to save Patroclus from his formerly abusive household he felt like he was in debt to him. When he use to work with Chiron as an assistant nurse in the hospital, Chiron said he was a gifted healer and would make a fine Surgeon if he ever so chose.

"You're paying for lunch." She huffed, dropping her hands to the side.

"I'm the one who got hurt." He complained 

They crossed the road from the school to the road that basically had all the fast food chains. Through the glass he could see a myriad of other students eating with friends. They passed a few joints before stopping at their usual cafè downtown.

The warm aroma of coffee beans and jasmine tea filled his nostrils. His body eased at the scent, his cramped neck felt a bit more bearable as they crossed the threshold to the counter. 

"Ah, my favorites." Automendon, Highschool graduate and their normal barista greeted them with a broad grin. Briseis gave him a fist bump, as they made small talk over the counter. Patroclus spaced out, his mind still reminscent of Achilles' and his encounter at the stairwell. He internally cringed when he specifically remembered what he said before he blacked out.

"The usual. Tell your mom I said Hi." 

The two sat down at a table by the entrance. Briseis overlooking her notes for the latest test and Patroclus, still regreting his life choices of that morning. Moments passed and Briseis' name was called by the counter. He stood up instead and treked over, he gave Automedon a smile. He wasn't as close with the staff here than Briseis, still, the barista gave them their drinks and food with a friendly smile.

They ate in relative silence, Patroclus taking his food in small picks and nibbles while Briseis only sipped her tea, eyes only glancing over worriedly at him

Halfway through his meal he remembered bright green eyes and his husky voice calling out for him in concern. The first time they ever really talked and he just had to make it memorable by passing out.

"Y'know. It was quite a sight when he carried you to the clinic, the way newlyweds do too." 

Patroclus choked. Briesis let out something that sounded of a laugh and a snort. The heat rose to his face, he was carried? By the Aristos Achaion to the clinic, after calling him pretty. This is it, he thought, there is nothing I live for. He pushed aside the half eaten plate infront of him and buried his head into his arms. 

Briseis wasn't done though, she let out a giggle and continued. "All the girls were snickering like rats. He didn't even care Pat, he just picked you up like you weighed nothing." She proclaimed loudly.

Patroclus groaned, his face a tomato. "He was just being nice." He muttered.

"Nice wouldn't mean holding you so delicatly like you were royalty." She sighed dreamily. "He's not my type but man, I wished I fell down some stairs too if it meant I can get someone to look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you were the most beautiful thing that ever graced this earth."

Patroclus let out something that resembled a choke. Briseis laughed agian to the point she doubled over. She was only feeding into his embarrassment, she did love her good natured teasing with him, just like a doting aunt. 

He lost all his apitite, pushing aside his plate even farther, he ducked his head deeper into the crooks of his arms. Maybe he should just sleep until lunch break was over.

Maybe if he fell asleep he would dream of Achilles? No, that would be terrible honestly. The constant thought of his warm hands holding his head was all he could think of

Way to go for first impressions. Passing out in your crush's arms after saying he was hot and getting bridal carried to the clinic. This was something straight out of those shitty highschool romances that he and Briseis binged on the weekends on sophmore year. They obviously moved up to better, crime dramas normally on fridays. But the thought of him being in the position of the bug eyed nerd in love with the popular guy made him puke. It was so generic. 

  
"By the way," Briseis perked up after a couple of minutes. Her eyes didn't the text she was reading on her phone. "Did you accept the college rec?" 

  
Patroclus hummed, "I haven't decided yet." He peeked out his head from his crossed arms. "The moment I accept Chiron would immediately move me."

  
"After graduation?" She asked.

  
"Yeah, the offer is from Harvard, I could go to Stanford but its in California." 

  
Moving to California would be a change. He would be a 6 hour flight away from the state he grew up in, away from his foster father, away from Briseis and the patients he befriended in the hospital shifts, away from his entire life.

  
"I can see how conflicted you are." Briseis said in between sips of her black coffee. "Change is hard Pat, but if would give you better opportunities." 

  
Patroclus stayed silent, he probably couldn't give her a good reply if he tried, she was always right. But then again, he never really was one to make a decision this big, constantly staying safe and pushing himself to the sidelines, never brash nor bold.

  
"No matter how far you are, we'll always reach you." She smiled, it was soft and kind, her eyes crinkling around the edges, small dimples in her cheeks. "You need to take the risk sometimes." 

  
He smiled back at her. Maybe he did need to take a risk sometimes.

  
"Thats so poetic Brie." He chuckled. He took out his phone from the pockets of his backpack, break was going to end in a few minutes. He strapped the bag over his shoulders and shoved his phone into his jeans. "I'll let you choose what we'll watch later." 

  
She whipped her head up with a bright smile. "Sherlock baby! I need my monthly Benedict Cumberbatch." She sighed wistfully. Standing up with coffee in hand they made their way to the bussying streets with the same students from earlier.

Mingling with the crowd till they made their way back to the entrance of their highschool, Briseis and him departed from one another to their seprate classrooms. 

  
Patroclus let out a deep and long sigh before collapsing in his assigned seat. This day was going terribly so far.

♡

Only one assignment, he thought with a smile. He fell asleep for half of most of his classes, not like the teachers cared though, it was the perks of being the top student. He anticipated the taste of hot cheetos and popcorn that he planned to eat later.

  
He made his way through the slightly bare corridors, students filtering themselves out to the exit. With a calm pace, he pulled out his phone to text Briseis, she would be picking him up with her car. Making his way to the double glass doors of the exit absentmindedly.

  
"Chironides! Yo!"

He let out a squeak of sorts, phone flinging out of his hands. Quickly scrambling to get it before it dropped to the ground he turned to the person who called him out. His face slightly scrunched with irritation.

  
Tall with a red jacket slung around his waist like a belt, a member of the sports team. Patroclus quickly remembered that the person who just called him out was Ajax, the bigger one. Momentarily freezing up on the spot in anxiety.

  
_Holy shit what did I do?_ He panicked slightly. It was like one of those bullying scenes from movies where the big jock guy approaches the scrawny nerd, but it couldn't be, he was never targeted since freshman year, it only could've meant he eternally fucked up or something even worse.

  
As he approached closer, it dawned on Patroclus that it wasn't just Ajax, but the whole soccer team. Patroclus didn't know why or what he did. He considered running, he cranned her neck forward a bit to see that Ajax was actually giving off a friendly grin and wave, and beside him was the guy who pushed him off the stairs earlier. 

  
"Sorry for startling you but Pelides wanted to say something to you." The giant's boisterous smile grew. He pushed the golden haired boy from earlier closer to Patroclus, he moved timidly, it was shoking to Patroclus. He took a couple steps closer till he was a good distance from the rest of the team and almost within breathing space to Patroclus.

  
"Uh--"

  
"I'm really sorry for pushing you!"

  
He ducked his head down to form some sort of bow. His golden hair trailing down, his scalp was directly infornt of him. Patroclus trembled, unsure of what to say.

  
"I-its ok!" He stuttered weakly. He mentally slapped himself for sounding so meek in front of his 4 year crush. "It was just an accident." 

  
Achilles looked up, his bright green eyes scanning Patroclus' face like a laser printer. His eyes darted up to the swelling wound on the side of his head, his face instantly turned sour. Patroclus noticed and hastily brushed it off.

  
"It's fine! Its just a flesh wound!" His hands clasped harder around his phone. Achilles' eyes remained fixated on the purplish wound with such burning intensity it made Patroclus quiver. 

  
"I still hurt you..." he said softly, almost like a whisper, his knuckles were white as he tightly clenched his fist. His eyes went to meet Patroclus' slightly heated gaze. "I'm sorry."

  
"There's nothing to forgive really, I promise." Patroclus gave a hesitant smile to prove his point. Achilles went silent, his eyes widening slightly, he quickly turned away from Patroclus' gaze to stare at an unintresting wall. They stood quiet for awhile, Achilles not wanting to meet his eyes. Patroclus' shifted uncomfortably, he could feel the gazes of the other soccer members as they held their breath watching the exchange between them. His phone rang, Briseis' contact displayed on the screen, she was outside the entrance.

  
"If theres nothing else to say then I have to--" his arm was immediately caught. He turned his head to see Achilles staring straight at him with his bright green eyes filled with a sort of desperation. 

  
"Can you come to a house party I'm hosting tomorrow?" Patroclus could make out the smallest most tinest flush on his nose. "So I can apologize properly."

How could he refuse?

  
_You need to take a risk._ Briseis' voice rang in his ear.

  
"Yes."

  
It was in a moment that all the confidence that Patroclus had went into that one reply. Achilles smiled, he smiled so brightly that to him it resembled a sun, not the burning your back kind with how hot it was. It was a warm, comforting and ultimately a gorgeous smile that was so infectious that Patroclus' couldn't stop his own from gracing his lips.

Briseis' loud car horn broke the moment between them. It honked and beeped loudly, it startled both men. Achilles had released his grip from his arm, it suddenly felt empty without the kind touch of the golden haired boy.

  
"I'm sorry I have to go." Patroclus said in between car honks, he shoved his phone back into his jean pocket and turned away from Achilles. "I'll be there, at the party I mean."

  
Achilles grinned, it reached his eyes and shone with such giddiness. 

  
"I'll see you there Patroclus."

  
Achilles dashed back to the soccer team that was watching everything unfold with teasing grins. Patroclus walked out the building, inhaling the fresh air that mixed with the smell of grass and engine smoke. He made his way to Briseis who rolled her window down, she jutted her thumb to the seat beside her. He opened the door and sat down gratefully, feeling the cold AC brush against his face. Then he realized--

  
He never gave Achilles his name.


	2. Briseis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party time, or at least Pat thinks it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yalL I CANT WRITE SKSKS. Please excuse my terrible writing , i really am trash yo. I'm doing this for gays and girls and queers and queens who stan Patrochilles highschool au's.
> 
> Thanks for enduring the trash that is my attempt at humor and drunk confessions and .

"Oh my gods," Briseis hissed. Her petite frame ran around Patroclus' room like a hurricane, actually, she more resembled an angry pomeranian with her curly hair bouncing around as she sped to his closet. "I can’t believe you told me last minute that you were going to a house party.” She hapazardously threw around clothes from his closet, flinging them across the room and hoping they landed on the bed.

“Brie please don’t trash my room.” He pleaded, he quickly moved to the side to avoid being hit by a bundle of jackets. He sat down on the only non-cluttered part of the bed, his knee bouncing up and down anxiously. He watched as Briseis aggressively shifted through his closet.

“ _Trash?_ ” her voice raising an octave, she spared him a glance, eyes burning with determination. “Pat, love, you should be glad I’m gracing you with my fashionista presence and not charging you.” She threw him an old oversized yellow sweater that clashed dark skin. He caught it, slumping his back on the growing pile of clothes on his bed. This is going to be a bitch to reorganized, he thought, shuffling through to get more comfortable.

It was 6 in the evening on Saturday. He was anxious about the oncoming party that he was invited to 2 days ago. In panic, he had called his best friend, informing of her of his closet situation. She promptly yelled at him for 15 minutes about not telling her earlier, by the time he hung up, there was an insistent knocking on the door. Briseis stood, makeup on fleek, clothes slightly rumpled and phone held tightly in her hand like she was about to throw it at him. Now he ended up here, his closet spasmed around him like a satanic ritual while his childhood friend chucked old shirts at him like footballs.

  
“Are you even going?”  


“I was invited days ago.”   
  
Patroclus’ eyes widened. They were basically inseparable, how come he didn’t know his best friend was invited to a party? “Don’t look at me like that. I’m more approachable than you. I’m surprised you got invited in the first place.” She muttered under her breath, reaching in waist length into a basket in the corner of his closet. Her head was completely out of sight.

“What do you mean ‘more approachable’ were literally together most of the day.” He proclaimed, hugging the mustard colored fabric tighter to his chest. Briseis made little grunts and noises and her hands made work around his clothes, meticulously picking them out, like a miner sifting through dirt for gold.

“That’s the thing.” Her voice boomed within the closed interior of the closet. “Were basically joint at the hip. In freshman year I was atleast able to make friends with the girls in debate club, you have this sort of regal poise to you that makes everyone skittish.” She said quickly.

  
Patroclus chuckled. “Regal poise? Please, I think you mean social anxiety.”

  
“I meant what I said. Girls love guys out of their league." 

  
_~~Too bad I also love guys out of my leauge~~ _

  
His eyebrow raised to a perfect 90 degree angle. He opened his mouth to let out another snarky response before another pile of clothes hit his face.

  
"Yes! Perfect!" Briseis head popped out of the closet, victoriously holding a pair of white jeans and black shirt with a print of a band he used to like on it. She jumped over the mounds of falled shirts and pants and happily skipped to him. Shoving the outfit into his open arms and ushering him into the bathroom door.

  
Briseis clapped the door shut, leaving him in his bathroom staring into the mirror blankly. He looked down at the clothes in his hands and sigh, maybe he shouldn't have accepted the invitation. 

  
But then again, with those big green eyes staring at him it made it almost impossible to refuse. Looking down at the clothes he took a deep breath. He really did want to see those same sea green eyes again.

  
When he exited the bathroom door, he went to meet Briseis' who was on her phone. She turned to look at, her eyes raking up and down his body. Shd let out a small puff of breath before putting her phone down. "That won't do." She mumbled.

  
"Tuck your shirt in then ruffle it out." She gestured, her hands waving frantically in the air like a mime. "Do you have a belt?"

  
He pointed to one of the mounds on the floor. Briseis quickly skipped off the bed and wooshed the belt around. She hopped her way to him, expertly navigating her way around the clothes that had fallen on the floor. She hastily looped the belt through the clasps of his jeans and rising them up higher to his waist. She smiled at him deviously.

  
"Why there pants? Their tight." He grumbled, feeling his waist constrict from the belt. His calves were uncomfortably suffocated by the white fabric. Briseis only laughed, ducking her head to the side to grab the mustard colored jacket from earlier. He wasn't even sure if he owned it, but then again, when did he ever cared abour what he wore.

  
"Exactly why I chose them." Her devious smile grew wider. She hastily swaddled him in the jacket. Looking up, she took a couple steps back to see Patroclus in full view.

  
He could tell by the look in Briseis' eyes that he atleast looked passable enough for a house party. The mismatch of clothes were not too bad in his opinion. He kinda looked like someone out of Briseis' pinterest boards, but he was grateful enough that his friend got him out of his slump.

  
"My masterpiece," she whsipered. Staring at awe at him. Patroclus shifted uncomfortably, regreting ever accepting the invitation in the first place. "Maybe this will finally get you laid." 

♧

They drove down one of the private neighborhoods downtown. His gaze shifted to Briseis, she had completely known the way to the Pelides Residence like it was nocturnal insctinct. She had parallel parked the car nearby a house that's inside was glowing bright with colors. Music blaring loud enough to be heard from the inside of the vehicle.

  
He opened the door reluctantly, his hands sweaty and knees wobbly. He had never been to a real house party that most American kids do. Briseis skipped in front of him. Hastily trying to match with her speed, they reached the front of the lawn, 

  
He could spot a few of his classmates littered across the lawn. Talking idly, some downing drinks like it was the end of the world. The brightly multi colored lights blinded him for a moment. A loud yell came from the inside of the house, followed my multiple laughs and howls. Patroclus shivered, it was like he was about to enter a the den of lions. His social anxiety skyrocketed.

  
"Listen Pat," the petite girl pulled down on his jacket's sleeve. "Word of advice, don't stick to the corners and don't let anybody force a drink on you. Have fun."

  
She pulled him to the opened entrance of the house and shoved him inside. He let out a squeak as they entered the threshold. He was almost immediately swarmed by the mass of people who were trying to exit the same time he entered. Menuvering his way through the swarm of sweaty bodies until he finally caught a breath.

  
He exhaled deeply. He was in the living room area of the almost huge house, not that many people, just some groups mindlessly talking and mingling, holding cups that what he assumed was alcohol. How they managed to get a hold of real alcohol and giving it out to 17 year olds, he'll never know. 

  
Then it struck him like a lightning bolt. Briseis wasn't by his side anymore. He gulped down the rising panic that attempted to escape his throat. She had probably gotten seperated from him by the crowd. He turned his head sharply to the side to catch glance of the growing swarm of teenagers by the door , something had drawn the attention of half the people. 

  
He took in another deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. The air had smelled like sharp vodka and the vaugest hint of axe body spray. 

  
He turned his to find something to catch his eye, the kitchen was to the left of the living room. Wide and spacious with a marble counter top that had an beer keg on it. A beer keg. Littered across were some iconic red cups and a number of chips and fizzy drinks. Patroclus' head felt weightless, probably from the reeking stench of liquour from the kitchen everytime he got closer. He shook his head, no alcohol, he reminded himself. 

  
Shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket he decided that he was always going to be a social outcast. He felt like he was in an episode of Riverdale, he sure did feel like the loner boy who no one knows going into a party only to be seperated from the only person he's talked to for the past 4 years. Letting out a prolonged sigh, he fished his phone out of his pocket to send a text to Briseis.

  
_You: bri, where r u??_

_You: pls i dont know anyone here._

_You: btw if ur dead im taking your shrek dvd collection_

  
Without a reply in minutes, he let out a frustrated groan. What did he expect really? Its like all the gods were toying with him just for their bemusement. His hand travelled through the thick curls of his head, lightly scratching his scalp while scrowlling through instagram. He didn't really want to talk to anyone really, he assumed that most people here didn't even know who he was. If he wasn't a bother to anyone then he didn't care.

  
"Yo its you!"

  
A arm snuck up behind him and looped around his neck. He gasped when another hand went up to his head to give him a noogie.

  
"Ugh, what do you want?" He spat. Shoving the hand of his head and twisting his body so that he could push the person using his side. Once out of their hold he looked to meet their face. Tall with a shaven undercut and studs. Bad news radiated from him.

  
"You're no fun." Hector laughed, his mouth moving to show the peircings at the side of his upper lip. "You're missing out all the action. Menelaus and Paris are having a fist fight for Helen by the lawn. Its wild, I bet on Paris." 

  
His lopsided grin grew when Patroclus looked to side to avoid the tallet man's gaze on him. Hector wasn't necessarily bad per say. He was known to be a sterotypical bad boy, with some high class dad who could buy him out of trouble, he was a goldmine for drama and unnecessary fights. The only reason he knew him was because they were forced to be partners in chemisty in his sophmore year.

  
Let's just say he hated chemisty that year.

  
"I'm not betting for your team if you're implying." He scoffed. 

  
"Then why are you here?" Hector quipped, taking a cup of liquor from the kitchen's marble counter. "I didn't really take you for the type to go house hopping." 

  
Patroclus absentmindedly fiddled the strings of his jacket. "That's because I don't, a friend brought me along. Partying is too much of a hassle."

  
Hector took the burning liquid in one swing, his head hung low as he hissed. "Says you , some things aren't just worth your precious time?" His tone was suggestive.

  
The smaller man grimaced "Don't patronize me." he muttered under his breath, cheeks blocthing with a slight red.

  
Hector chortled, his athletic frame shaking with laughter. He turned his body so he was directly facing Patroclus in the eye, the studed man looming over him slightly. "Hmm, am I?" Hector's grin grew predatory, his thumb lightly grazing his wrist. Patroclus flinched.

  
"You are." He stated.

  
Leaning in forward to the side of Patroclus' face, the cold metal of his lip piercing barely brushing across his cheek. "If you asked me, I would make this party more intresting for you." Hot breath licking his ear, his ears flared red, his lips quivered for an awnser. Gay panic seeping in.

  
"Uh--"

  
He remembered why he hated Hector so much again, he was always somehow trying to get into his pants.

  
"Hey, back off. He clearly isn't interested." 

  
Almost like a flash of light, he could spot blonde almost gold hair in the corner of his eye storming over to them. Hector was suddenly pushed off him, his body swaying slightly as he stumbled on his own feet. A strong, sturdy hand clasping his shoulder to keep him steady. Hector growled lowly, Patroclus could tell by the way his knuckles whitened and how his face contorted that he was enraged.

  
"Pelides. Nice party." He hissed through thin lips pressed together for a tight smile. 

  
"Where's Andromache, Hector?" Achilles asked, the smugness audible in his voice.

  
"Doing better than you for sure. Gotta go, she's probably waiting." Hector's eyes glinted with murderous intent. His closed fist went to the pocket of his leather jacket. Without saying anything else, Hector skidded away from the two of them, making his way to the ongoing fight by the lawn. Patroclus mentally sighed, he was greatful not to be the center of that vicious fight that would've happened.

  
"Thanks."

  
Letting out the breath he was unconsciously holding in, he practically collapsed with relief. "Don't worry, Hector always acts like he has a stick up his ass." Achilles said with a smile. Patroclus couldn't help but give a small laugh at the other man's comment.

  
"I know, I had to deal with his bullshit for a year." Achilles' smile grew wider at the sound of Patroclus' laugh, almost like a child of christmas day. Patroclus also noticed blonde's cheeks slightly flushed cheeks and plastic cup in hand, he was slightly drunk atleast.

  
"I pity your brave soul." He gave an over-dramatic gasp before shuffling his way to the kitchen counter. Patroclus followed him as he poured a shot glass worth of liqour in the cup. "A drink?" He asked, gesturing to the half empty bottle of gin.

  
"No thanks." 

  
Achilles shurgged before downing the shot. "I'm glad you came." He mummered, pouring himself another shot's worth. Patroclus shifted to his other leg, fidgeting slightly.

  
"I wouldn't miss a personal invitation from the host himself."

  
"Oh, I don't really like hosting the parties. The team just goes wild and invites people to my house and brings the alcohol for themselves."

  
His interest perked at the comment. "Do you like them? The parties I mean."

  
Achilles bellowed, under the low light of the kicthen counter his eyes looked like gemstones, glistening and shining like precious jewels. Patroclus definitely had a thing for green eyes. "Depends, if someone's intresting enough for me to hang out with." 

  
Patroclus could only stare at the man infornt of him was the main focus of all his attention, as if there was nothing else in the world. "Sure must be lonely." 

  
His eyes went to meet Patroclus', viridian green meeting dark chocolaty brown. His lips curled to show his a brilliant white smile. "Well I'm not lonely today." 

  
Patroclus stared dumbfounded. Was that a flirt? Was he flirting? Does he flirt back? Millions of thoughts were running through his head at lightspeed thinking time. His mouth was left slightly ajar as he stared into the green orbs watching him. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn't even think of a half decent reply. He was completely enchanted.

  
The blonde jock let out another laugh, his eyes visibly becoming clouded and unfocused, body slightly shifting side to side in an unsteady motion. Downing another shot messily, he threw his head back and let out a howl. His smile was now lopsided.

  
"I'm really glad you came Patroclus." He slurred, fingers drumming on the cup. "Y'know you're name is really 'pretty--"

  
Patroclus blushed a violent red, the tips of his ears becoming a violent crimson color. He looked to the side in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, his hand going to his mouth to conceal the ever growing smile that was crawling up his face.

  
Achilles only continued, swaying more and more. "Pa-tro-clus." Achilles said in a sing song voice. Patroclus could only silently die as Achilles laughed drunkenly at his despair.

  
"Achilles you're drunk." He said flatly.

  
" 'n you're hair is looks really soft-" his voice raising an ocatve higher. 

  
He tried to swallow the whimper that tried to escape his throat. With the embarrassment seeping in, he decided to go past the blonde. Taking up one of the discarded cups on the counter and filling it up with water from the sink. 

  
"Drink this," he handed him the cup. Achilles took it with a droopy smile. Scrambling to down it like a shot, he let out a sout expression at the tastelessness. Looking at Patroclus with flushed cheeks and a lopsided grin. "You're gonna have the biggest hangover tomorrow." He muttered under his breath.

  
"Did ya 'know I really don't like my captain? Agamemnon'sa big bitch." He chortled again, his hands making pantomime gestures. He went on a trail of inconsistent laughter as he swayed.

  
Achilles continued on with his drunken complains, mostly about his soccer team. " n' Oddessyus my god--" he hiccuped mid sentence, "--he keeps goin' on and on about his girlfriend Penelope. Whipped." He laughed out loud again.

  
Patroclus reached to get more water from the sink, but was stopped short from a sudden tug on his jacket sleeve. Patroclus glanced behind him to see the blonde with his hear downcasted and his hand tightly clutching his jacket'a sleeve.

  
"Don't leave." 

  
"I'm just going to get water?"

  
Achilles let out a whine, Patroclus couldn't help but stiffle a laugh. Suddenly the person whom he admried and crushed over for years acting like a child and asking him to stay was so endearing to him.

  
"Ok, I won't leave." He placed the cup back onto the counter and watched as the other party goers mingled and danced together. "Maybe you would like to join your party?"

  
"No!" Achilles shook his head vigorously, he crossed his strong muscular arms across his chest with another whine. "I wanna stay here!"

  
This time Patroclus let out a snort then followed by a laugh. Achilies' eyes gleamed at the sound. 

  
"You have a nice laugh." He slurred again, in his drunken state he tried to wink at Patroclus, but then again he was drunk who he just ended up winking with both eyes. It made Patroclus laugh again, his cheeks flushed and eyes crinkled. "I like it when you laugh." 

  
"You don't mean that." He said breathlessly.

  
Achilles paused, his eyes seemed to be searching for something on Patroclus' face. 

  
"Did it hurt?"

  
His eyebrows raised at the question. "What? Do you mean pushing me off the stairs? Yes, If so you already apologized for that--"

  
"When you fell from heaven?"

  
Both of them were silent for awhile, Patroclus looking at Achilles' with an expression of pure shock, and Achilles only waiting expectantly for an awnser. Everyone had their drunk personality, for Achilles it was shameless flirting with a side of possessive behavior. 

  
"Did it hurt?" He asked again. Patroclus tried again and again to open his mouth and reply but the words just couldn't form. He was speechless.

  
" 'cuz it did when I fell for you." 

  
Patroclus' eyes were now blown wide open like dinner plates. He didn't even care if his mouth was hanging. He stared at Achilles' like he was an alien on earth. 

  
Then he put more thought into it. Was this a confession? Were his feelings not unrequited? This was all going way too fast for Patroclus' to comprehend. He was attending his first party after getting pushed off the stairs by his childhood crush and now the same childhood crush may or may not be drunkenly confessing to him.

  
This was really some good Romcom material.

  
"I-- I -- we should get you to bed." Patroclus stuttered out. He walked over to the drunk jock and looped his arm across his neck to stabilize him. He grunted as the jock put his heavy weight on him.

  
"Wow Pat I didn't know you wanted me in my bed so bad." Achilles buckled a laugh again, sending vibrations to Patroclus. He blushed madly as they made their way to the staircase leading to the second floor. 

  
"Shut up, I'm too sober for this." He muttered. The feeling of Achilles' body pressed against his side was bad enough, with his shameless flirting just made it almost impossible not be flustered. Achilles laughed again, his body drifting to the side, Patroclus had to pull him back up and grab his waist as they further ventured up the stairwell.

  
When they reached the second floor, he looked to Achilles who weakly pointed at the door at the end of the hall. With a grunt, he basically dragged the blonde all the way to his room and steadied him on the doorframe.

  
"I swear." He panted, pulling off his mustard colored jacket and tying it around his waist. 

  
"Thank you." He muttered, he wasn't stumbling over his anymore atleast. With a sigh he opened the door for Achilles who stepped inside his room. From the outside of the hallway he could make out the shape of a bed and a laptop from where he was standing. His gaze quickly diverted, he was most likely breaking his boundries. 

  
They stood there awkwardly for a minute. Achilles using the door frame for stability and Patroclus with his gaze downcasted on the carpeted floor. Neither said a word, he reached to scratch the base of his neck.

  
His mind was a mess, the night was hectic and probably the most fun he had in years. Achilles brought that fun , Achilles made his life interesting. He didn't want to live a boring life, a life without the blonde golden boy. With a deep sigh he gathered all his feelings and stood straighter.

_You need to take a risk._

After high school, He would most definitely move away to another state to finish his education. He would never see Achilles again when he did. He didn't want to leave without ever telling the boy he liked for years that he loved him. He didn't want to leave with an empty heart. He most probably never have an opportunity like this again, even if they just ended up as friends. Patroclus would take anything as long as it was with Achilles. With a shaky breath and eyes threatening to spill tears, 

  
"You're drunk so you probably won't remember this but," his breath stopped short when emerald green eyes started right into his. He had nothing to lose. 

  
_I really like his eyes_.

  
"Ever since freshman year. I've always liked--"

  
"--HOLY SHIT, GUYS. THE COPS ARE HERE!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the biggest headache while writing this you would not beLIEVE. So yeah, chapter 3, hangovers, realizations and decisions.
> 
> Kudos and comment <333


	3. Machaon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath, with a side of teen drama for flavor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall i haven't updated in so long that my writing got so fucking crack. Like this is half a crack fic by this point, like wtf even is this.
> 
> Yeah so thanks, please kudos and comments are my lifeline. Reading your thoughts is my serotonin so pls, go wild.
> 
> Mentions of Child endangerment and mistreatment

Record scratch

  
  


Freeze frame--

  
  


That's me, Patroclus, and you're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation.

  
  


Well, it started when my childhood crush personally invited me to his house party after he pushed me down a flight of stairs on accident. Then, my best friend got separated from me in a crowd of people betting on who gets to date Helen, the school beauty. And then, said childhood crush got absolutely wasted and started drunkenly flirting with me. And when I finally got up the courage to confess my long suppressed emotions, the cops showed up for reports of underaged drinking in our area.

  
  


That's how I ended up in the laundry room as I attempted to crawl out the window to avoid the mass of red and blue lights and cars outside.

  
  


Hi. I'm Patroclus Chironides, and my life is pretty crazy.

  
  


♤

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! We're late!" 

  
  


He lets out a groan, craning his head to the side he sees a figure by his doorway. Small, dark curly ringlets wrapped in a tight bun behind her head and a very visible angry look on her face. His bleary eyes open slightly to make out the scowl on her face.

  
  


"What?" His sleep coated voice called out. His eyes burn with the sunlight that creeps into his room, his throat is dry and hoarse. 

  
  


"I said we're late. Get up or I'm taking the car without you!" Briseis yells. Hands going to her hips to mimic an angry parent pose. Patroclus sits up, rubbing his crusty eyes and letting out a prolonged yawn. Reaching out to his bedside table for his phone, the metal is cold against his fingertips. Before another yawn can escape his lips he looks at the time displayed on the lockscreen and lets out a shout.

  
  


Holy shit, indeed, he was, absolutely fucked.

  
  


With alarming speed, he practically flies out of bed and onto the cold carpeted floor of his bedroom. He scrambles to get up and knocks down the door to the conjoined bathroom. He runs in, furiously removing his clothes and jumping into the shower, he almost slides on the cool tiles with his speed. He turns the shower knob and lets out another shout. Scaldingly freezing water comes out of the shower head and pattern down his body. Why the fuck is everything cold?!

  
  


With chattering teeth, he pumps an unnecessary amount of shampoo into his palm and scrubs it so hard into his scalp that it might injure his skin. After washing it off with another spray of ice cold liquid, he spreads out into his room and into his closet. He doesn't even care what he pulls out and wears, he grabs a random pair of jeans and a shirt and curses when he looks back into his phone for the time.

  
  


6 minutes until he's late. He considers dying.

  
  


Downstairs, Briseis hums a happy tune to herself as she plays around with the apps on her phone. Letting out a whistle when she hears Patroclus loudly curse upstairs then followed by the sound of something breaking. Turning the corner of the house to the kitchen, she hopes she can maybe snatch something from her best friend's fridge.

  
  


When she enters the kitchen, she's greeted by the sight of Patroclus' father, Chiron. Looking like he needs at least 2 nights worth of sleep. Wearing his dark navy hospital scrubs under the long overcoat with his dark beard combed and styled. He turns to her and smiles warmly, in his hands is a mug of dark bubbling liquid.

  
  


"Briesies, good morning." He greets her with a gentle tone, the one he always uses when he talks to her or his own son. "Are you driving the boy to school?" 

  
  


She returns the smile. "Yeah, unfortunately." She lets out a small giggle when she hears the faintest sound of a shout from the room upstairs. "Changing shifts?" She asks causally.

  
  


Chiron nodded before taking another long sip of drink. Coffee more specifically. "I wanted to be home more often for Patroclus, so I asked to be put on the morning rotation." 

  
  


Briseis smiles to herself. Chiron was definitely a loving father to anyone, but most especially to Patroclus. They used to go back way back too, when her best friend was still living with the horrid man who claimed to be his father, Menoetius. He was forceful, brash and ultimately a terrible person overall.

  
  


Briseis loathed Menoetius.

  
  


Maybe it was just in her blood to seek for justice and help those who can't help themselves. Maybe that's why she's so close to Patroclus, because he's basically helpless without her, but thinking of Patroclus' biological father makes her sick. He was cold and cynical. She remembers seeing him for the first time as a child when he dropped off his son at the middle school she used to go to. His stiff posture and cold eyes, she remembers being terrified when she saw him. She was everything she hated. Then she met Patroclus, she was crying because her 8 year old self was still too overly attached to her parents. Patroclus came up to her with arms covered in bruises and a trembling voice and asked if they could play together. They were joint to the hip ever since.

  
  


But even after living with such a monster of a human being, she thanked all the gods in existence that Patroclus was not his father. Patroclus was everything that he wasn't, soft-spoken, and kind to every human being he ever met. Patroclus was her friend, and she swore that they would always be friends. They were such two different beings, but maybe that was why they got along so well.

  
  


In ways Patroclus was too kind, too naive and gullible, smiles too much and loves everyone no matter what they do to him. She took it upon herself as the braver and bolder one in their friendship to protect him. She was the sister he never had.

  
  


"Thank you for doing that, Chiron." She bowed slightly, dropping her head low so she could hide the smile that plastered itself on her face. Chiron was nothing like Menoetius. Chiron didn't hurt Patroclus. 

  
  


" **_Briseis_ ** ." Patroclus hissed from the stairs. She glanced his way to see messy dark hair poking in all directions with eyes bloodshot. She gave a grin to Chiron.

  
  


"That's my call. Thanks for the talk." She winks at the bearded man, making her way to the patio of the house. She took her slow time by spinning the keys and admiring the outside scenery by the house before finally entering the parked car by the driveway.

  
  


When she entered, she was greeted by a clearly distressed Patroclus with still slightly damp hair and the biggest pout she'd ever seen. "Please just step on it, I have a project due in the first period." 

  
  


"It's your fault for sleeping in, honey." Her teasing tone got another bad glare from Patroclus as she started the car. "Must've been a nice dream if it kept you asleep for that long." She quipped half heartedly, a knowing smile crawling on her face.

  
  


"Don't talk to me I'm still mad." He huffed out angrily, turning his head to the side to watch the passing people on the sidewalk. 

  
  


Briseis giggled again before continuing. "Because I ditched you at the party?"

  
  


His face started to color red in anger, "Yes because you ditched me!" He cried out. "I was left alone with Hector for fuck's sake!" 

  
  


Her eyes instantly widened at the statement, she whipped her head to the side to look at him. "Hector?" Her voice dripped venom. "That guy?! Holy hell Pat, I'm so sorry. Did he do anything unsavory again?" 

  
  


Patroclus lowered his head at Briseis' angered tone. "He didn't get the chance, Achilles showed up." He muttered slowly. He noticed the way Briseis opened her mouth but then slowly closed it back down. She was most likely trying to hold in some sort of teasing comment about Achilles' sudden appearance, but instead kept her mouth shut to avoid ruining his mood even more.

  
  


Patroclus sighed, Briseis is almost never able to hold her tongue, the fact that she's at least trying for his sake makes it almost impossible not to be guilty. "Yeah I know, white saviour boy to my rescue if that's what you're gonna say." He chuckled softly.

  
  


Briseis' eyes lit up at the sound of his laugh (it almost reminded him of the way Achilles' did under the low lighting of the kitchen that night). Patroclus smiled, before turning his head back again to the window. "I owe you one for picking me up this late."

  
  


Used her free hand that wasn't on the steering wheel to give him a playful punch to the shoulder. "Bad bitches stay together." 

  
  


He laughs, warmth blooming in his chest. Briseis was always there, Briseis never left him behind. "Always." He promised.

  
  


♧

  
  


Patroclus was most definitely going to die a virgin and an undergrad. 

  
  


"I don't see why you're freaking out so much?" His close friend (though not as close as Briseis, she insists it's her birthright to be his best friend) Machaon said with an exasperated tone.

  
  


"You weren't there at the party, he was wasted as hell." Patroclus says with the dismissive wave of his hand. Right now, they're sitting on the white washed bleachers near the open, green grassed track field. It was after school hours, and Patroclus somehow managed to convince Machaon, his clubmate to come with him to watch the football team do their practice runs.

  
  


"Yeah, no. I heard the cops stormed the place and fined all the juniors and seniors for underaged drinking." He adds. Machaon lifts his gaze to the side, he can see Patroclus eagerly gazing at the track field. His eyes watching as Agamemnon as he leads the group whilst chanting some sort of motivational running mantra to keep everyone else distracted. Machaon scoffed loudly when he saw Achilles Pelides desperately trying to encourage a heavily panting Oddessyus not to collapse on the field. 

  
  


He of course, like the rest of Patroclus' friends, knew about his infatuation with the ace of the team.

  
  


"Yeah they did." Patroclus winced.

  
  


"And how did you get out without getting fined?" Machaon asked in an authoritative voice.

  
  


"I crawled out of the laundry chute."

  
  


"You did what--"

  
  


"Shh!" Patroclus frantically tried to cover Machaon's mouth before he started about  _ 'how unethical and concerning it is to crawl out of another person's laundry chute to avoid the cops _ ' lecture. He should really stop making friends with mother hens, Briseis was enough on her own. "Don't be so loud! We're undercover!"

  
  


Patroclus' version of undercover was wearing a large hooded jacket as he totally not subtly, watched Achilles' muscles flex in the sunlight. 

  
  


Machaon is very tired. 

  
  


He swats Patroclus' hands away from his mouth and gives him a good natured punch to the shoulder. His friend was such a simp. 

  
  


"Why do I have to be undercover with you then? Our club is also helping with that impromptu festival idea the teachers made." Machaon sighed, the weight of already maintain his grades, being there for his friend's gay crush and trying to plan a school festival was very tiring for the poor senior. 

  
  


Patroclus visibly winces again when he mentions it, he feels guilty for giving Machaon more trouble than he already has. "Briseis' club president so she's working on the festival too." He mutters under his breath.

  
  


Machaon has to resist the urge to roll his eyes. It's so difficult to be friends with such a hopeless gay sometimes. 

  
  


He takes one look at Patroclus' puppy eyes and his entire resolve breaks. He lets out a long, heavy sigh before catching Patroclus' head and pulling down his hood. He traps his neck in a loose headlock and proceeds to ruffle his hair aggressively.

  
  


Patroclus' terrible undercover breaks when he lets out a loud, hearty laugh while Machaon gives him a spontaneous noogie. Patroclus tries to fight against his friend's grip, but instead, his hair gets even more ruffled and messy when he applies more pressure. Patroclus can't control the giggles that rise and release when he's being aggressively noogied by his hopeless sob of a friend.

  
  


He keeps Patroclus in a loose hold around his neck as his laughter subsides. In the corner of his eye Machaon silently pretends that he doesn't see the way Achilles Pelides' eyes dart to him and Patroclus. The way his head immediately turns to the sound of Patroclus' laughter as if it's the loudest siren in the world. The way his jade eyes flash between something that can only be described as childish glee to the hardest of glares he's even seen. Machaon can feel a chill run up his spine like lightning when he realizes that Achilles Pelides is glaring at him, for simply having Patroclus wrapped in his arm.

  
  


(It then comes to Machaon that his friend isn't the only hopeless sob in this terrible array of pining and lovelorn glances.

  
  


Now he has to deal with two idiots.)

  
  


He also watches as Achilles Pelides promptly stumbles on the field because he was too busy glaring at Machaon.

  
  


He watches as Achilles Pelides withres in pain as he clutches his foot on the red glazed track field. His eyes shut tight in agony.

  
  


"Pelides! Pelides are you alright?" Agamemnon calls out. He stops the jogging and everyone behind him pauses as well. Soon enough, the entire soccer team is surrounding their golden boy with multiple looks of concern.

  
  


"Yeah no, I'm doing just fine Agamemnon, it's not like I'm in pain!" He barks at the captain like a rabid dog. Beside him, Diomedes howls in laughter. 

  
  


"What happened? I didn't see it." Beside him Patroclus attempts to flatten his hair, which is sticking out in all directions as if he was struck by a gust of ferocious wind. He looks absolutely flummoxed when he sees Achilles on the ground of the field, clutching his ankle in pain.

  
  


"Uh-- he fell?" Machaon offers weakly.

  
  


Patroclus' eyes widen even more, almost inhumanely so. With quick and nimble feet. He starts making his way down the white washed bleachers and sprints his way over to the field.

  
  


"Wait-- Patroclus wait dammit!" Machaon cries out in a futile attempt to stop Patroclus from making a brash decision.

  
  


Gods, why is he friends with such dramatic people?

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


"Please move out of the way." Patroclus says as politely as possible before he promptly shoves Nestor aside like a ragdoll. 

  
  


He attempts to squeeze his way through a bunch of sweaty athletes to get to Achilles, who lays in pain in the center. "Please move out of the way." He says again as he tries to shimmy in between Ajax and Ajax smaller. 

  
  


It takes him at least a solid minute or less before Patroclus gets to Achilles, who's brow is furrowed deeply and sweat trails down his face. The moment he sees him, his heart drops. It occurs to him right then in there that he loathes to see Achilles in pain.

  
  


"Achilles, calm down." He says as gently as possible. Achilles' eyes immediately open, his eyes dart to Patroclus as he seems to forget why he's even curled up on the floor in the first place.

  
  


"Patroclus." His voice is barely a whisper. His jade eyes are as wide open like the day the first actually talked to each other. He attempts to sit up in a panic but as he does so, his ankle slams into the ground. He lets out a cry of pain and Patroclus has to control himself from breaking down in the moment.

  
  


"Yeah-- don't do that." He stutters out in a haze of panic and adrenaline. "Keep calm for a second." 

  
  


"How can I do that when you're here?" Achilles blurted out. 

  
  


A momentary silence drifted between them with everyone else watching. Achilles, wide eyed with cheeks set ablaze. Patroclus, equally wide eyed with his mouth left agape.

  
  


"For fucks sake already! Stop having eye sex!" Diomedes yelled, breaking the silence. Patroclus was silently thankful for that.

  
  


"Right." Patroclus muttered. He tried to ignore the way Achilles rosy cheeks and damp hair made him look like some sort of ivory statue. Quickly accessing the situation with every ounce of self control he had in his body, he gently pried off Achilles shoe, and was left holding his swollen red ankle under his leg compressor.

  
  


Using all the medical knowledge he had on sprained ankles from his days in Chiron's hospital, he was able to elevate Achilles' ankle and pressed down on the swollen redness. Achilles let out a hiss of pain, his eyes clamped shut and his lips pressed into a thin line.

  
  


"It's most likely a grade II sprain, minor tears with inflammation too. I need to splint it."

  
  


In a panic, his eyes darted around to survey his surroundings for whatever he could use to make a splint. His eyes went to Machaon, standoffish perched at the ends of the bleachers with his bag on his shoulders.

  
  


"Machaon! Give me my bag." 

  
  


Machaon's eyes widened. Frantically, he unslinges Patroclus' bag off his shoulder and jogs across the field to him. With shaking hands, he gives Patroclus his rucksack.

  
  


Patroclus shuffled through the rucksack before pulling out two hardbound notebooks. Laying them on the ground, he then proceeded to remove his thick jacket from his body.

  
  


(He tried to ignore Achilles' eyes which followed his every movement. Even so, it made him panic even more.)

  
  


As carefully as he could manage. Patroclus pressed the two hardbound notebooks against his ankle with the help of Diomedes, before proceeding to delicately swaddling his foot with his jacket. It surely wasn't the best makeshift splint Patroclus had made but it seemed to do the trick. He stood up from the pavement with loose jointed kneecaps and turned towards Ajax, the bigger one.

  
  


"Can you carry him to the clinic?" 

  
  


Ajax nodded grimly to him. Patroclus watched as the big, bulky goalie took Achilles as gently as possible and plopped him onto his back. It hurt Patroclus to see Achilles' face contort from the sudden movement, but he pressed on forward with his teeth digging into his bottom lip to muffle the grunts of pain. 

  
  


Machaon nudged his side expectantly as Patroclus watched Ajax's retreating figure with Achilles on his back. He turned his head to Machaon who bore a playful grin on his face. Patroclus readied himself for what was about to come.

  
  


"That," he chuckled, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Was pretty darn sexy if you ask me." 

  
  


Patroclus sputtered, his face flaring up red. "W-what?"

  
  


Machaon's friendly grin transformed into a sinister smile. "The way you ran down the bleachers? How you just knelt and started going at it like a professional. Shit Pat, even I gotta say that was something straight out of a movie." He gestured dramatically, his hands waving in the air in a mock recreation of the entire situation.

  
  


Patroclus groaned into his hands. 

  
  


"Spare me..." he muttered. Machaon only chortled, his hands holding his sides. Something mischievous and playful glinted in his eyes.

  
  


"Just wait 'till I tell Briseis!" 

  
  


"Machaon!"

◇

At Least a week and a half passes and Patroclus can't help but wonder if the gods really do hate him.

He's sitting in between Briseis and Machaon in their algebra class when the bell rings. He doesn't lift his head from the tightness and security of his arms though. He's off in whatever imaginative dream his mind fabricated to compensate for the boringness of what only could be called, Algebra class. He was only half listening to whatever discussion their teacher was sputtering with the most monotonous voice. 

"You wake him up."

"What? No! The last time I woke him up I got slapped across the face."

"Exactly, do it again so I can get it on camera, Mac." 

"Briseis, have I ever told you how much I disliked you?" 

"No, because you don't." Patroclus can perfectly visualize the way Briseis puts her hands on her waist and flips her hair behind her shoulder vividly. "Also because I'm paying for lunch, now chop chop!" 

A groan follows after that statement. Patroclus can only respond with a halfheartedly when he feels a nudging to the side of his head. In response, he clasps his arms tighter, mentally screaming 'leave me alone!' In his mind.

"Geez Pat. I thought with Chiron home you would actually start sleeping properly." Briseis' crisp voice breaks through his shut ears. He hates how much he agrees with her.

But personally, she knows that Patroclus is at least sleeping a little bit better now with Chiron home at night. She's the only person that knows that Patroclus has a fear of sleeping by himself, it's a deep rooted anxiety that came about when he still lived with Menoetius. It makes her blood silently boil whenever she thinks about it. Patroclus is still healing after all this time.

So she takes it in her own hands to aggressively shake Patroclus like a dirty rag until he stirs from his sleep.

"UgHHh" comes his slurred reply when he slowly lifts his head from his arm cocoon. He is instantly greeted by Briseis warm smile and sharp look. 

"Pat, I am not having Machaon carry you to the cafè." She states primly. 

Patroclus lets out an even louder groan. Mostly to irritate Briseis.

"Uh-- is Patroclus still here?" 

Both Briseis and Machaon whip their heads around like lightning. By the doorway, stands a boy with dirty blonde hair and one arm around a crutch. 

Briseis' eyes meet Machaon's. They silently nod to each other. 

"Yes, he is here. What do you need him for?" She says smoothly, with all the grace and elegance that her small nimble body can contain. 

Achilles suddenly gets defensive, his eyes narrow and his jaw visibly clenches tighter. He puts up a sudden wall between him and Briseis.

"I want to say something to him." His voice is flat and clear. It echoes slightly in the almost empty classroom. 

Apparently it was loud enough to rouse Patroclus from his slumber. The brown haired boy grumbles something incomprehensible, his hand going to his messy mop of curls. He gives his head a good scratch until he lets out a loud and long yawn.

"Shit Brie, what time is it?" He asks, voice coated with the roughness of a morning yawn. He peers his eyes open only to see,

Achilles. Staring right at him.

"Yeah no." Patroclus says before he promptly ducks his head back into the crooks of his arms.

Achilles raises a perfectly blonde eyebrow at him in confusion, his head tilting to the side. Briseis breaks out into a laugh. Not the normal laugh though, no, it's loud and booming and filled with snorts and wheezes, all for Patroclus' demise.

"I--I-- Can I talk to you in private?" He stammers. Patroclus can feel his heart basically booming in his chest, it fills his ears and he's pretty sure Achilles can hear it too. 

He hesitantly lifts his head to finally meet the blonde quarterback's eyes. And Patroclus has his breath taken out of him.

They're so green, a beautiful shade of viridian that seems to shine like jade and emeralds. They seem to hold the entire universe in them, the way that they look at Patroclus makes him feel so small. He's absolutely in love.

"Uh-- Yes!" 

He wants to die again.

Achilles seems to accept that answer. He gives him a warm smile, and when Patroclus means warm he means has the brightness of a thousand fucking suns warm. Patroclus needs to get his thoughts straight. Achilles walks out of the classroom door and stead waits outside in the hallway.

"I'm dying." Patroclus says in a pathetic whisper, he collapses in wards in his chair. He looks like he just got sucker punched in the solar plexus.

"Oh no you're not!" Machaon exclaims. He gets behind Patroclus' chair, and gets a firm grip on his sides. And with a single pull, he takes Patroclus out of his slump and practically drags him out of the classroom.

"Machaon, I can't. My poor gay heart can't--"

"Your poor gay heart is giving me an aneurysm. Please, just talk to him." 

He gets shoved out the classroom door before he can clamour away. It shuts infront of him with a  _ slam _ ! And now, he is alone in the hallway with Achilles and his stupidly pretty eyes--

"Hey."

Patroclus' two brain cells are absolutely losing their shit. He tries to come up with a sensible answer that won't make him seem like a total wimp.

"Hi." 

Brilliant. There is no point in living anymore.

Achilles looks anxious, shockingly so. Patroclus' image of the strong, popular jock completely falls apart. He looks like he just stepped onto his parents making out, flushed and embarrassed. It makes Patroclus calm down the smallest bit.

"I just wanted to say thanks." He says after a beat.

Patroclus, like an idiot asks. "Thanks for what?" 

Achilles looks even more bewildered and confused. He points to his swaddled ankle with his crutch. It takes Patroclus at least 5 seconds before he can understand what he's pointing to.

"Oh." He whimpers, whimpers. "It was nothing."

Achilles promptly scoffs boyishly, Patroclus can feel his knees shake. "It wasn't nothing. The doctor says if it wasn't splinted, it would've teared more and gotten completely ripped at worst." He says earnestly.

Patroclus blushes even harder at that. He never was good at handling compliments. But now with Achilles, it feels like nothing it did before at the party, there was no alcohol to blame for their brashness, no liquid courage to give Patroclus the strength he needs. Now it was just them, two kids who really just need to communicate.

"It really was nothing, anyone would have done the same." He says with the wave of his hand.

Achilles stares at him for a moment, it's filled with the same curiosity that he had when he was drunk. 

He laughs "I don't think everyone is as good as you."

Patroclus blushes harder. Now his mouth has no filter. "Not everyone is as good at spraining their ankle either like you too." He says in a desperate attempt to return the compliment. 

Achilles' eyes widen in shock and Patroclus just stands there. 

He doesn't even register the moment when Achilles bursts into a fit of laughter. His nose is scrunched in as a dorky smile falls out with the continuous waves of laughter. He looks happy, carefree and alive.

(It takes Patroclus only a second to process that he wants to make Achilles smile like that everyday from on.

Maybe forever if he asked him too.)

Patroclus sputters, red tinting his cheeks and neck. A choking sound escapes his throat.

Achilles stops laughing when he sees Patroclus' constipated look. A wave of concern washes over him. "Yeah, it was erm quite clumsy of me to be honest. Something caught my eye, distracted me."

Patroclus' constipated look falls, he raises his eyebrow in confusion. "Something caught your eye."

Achilles is quiet for a beat. A second later his smile comes back. Patroclus can see something different though. It's closed and fond, it's filled with so much fondness and adoration that it takes his breath away.

"Yeah." He says, smiling still "it did."

(He really wants it to be forever.)

"Oh." Is all he can say when Achilles takes all the words from him and makes him speechless. He can't even think properly, his brain is just going through overdrive with the thought of whatever the blonde quarterback could be distracted by.

"Wait! By the way I wanted to ask you something." He exclaims suddenly.

"What?"

Achilles looks very nervous now. He fiddles with his crutch and bites his lip. 

"Well, my dad heard about what you did and--" 

He looks up at Patroclus with a hesitant smile.

"He wants to thank you personally by inviting you to dinner at our house."

Patroclus doesn't even consider it. It's like an automatic answer, because when it comes to Achilles, he can never decline. Just like when he asked about the party, Patroclus just doesn't know any other answer other than-

"Yes." 

Achilles' face makes it all worth it in the end. He has an enthusiastic smile, his hand lifts to the nape of his neck to scratch it in a nervous haze. He smiles, he smiles and that's all Patroclus can see.

"Really? Ah wait, can I take your phone for a sec?"

Without thinking, he fishes his phone out of his pocket, opens the home screen of him and Briseis in disney world and hands it to Achilles.

Achilles lets out a soft chuckle, probably at his screensaver. With a flurry of quick taps on the glass, he hands it back to Patroclus with a grin.

"I'll text you the details. See you soon, Patroclus." 

And then he's gone, using his crutch to walk away from Patroclus' sight. Patroclus waits, like stone, he's grounded in his place as he watches Achilles' figure disappear into a mass of people that he could only identify as the rest of the soccer team.

He doesn't even move when he's gone from his sight. 

Patroclus looks down at his phone, his messages app is open and he can see that there's a new contact inside.

_ The idiot you had to treat /Achilles _

He doesn't even move when the classroom door besides him opens and Briseis and Machaon step out. Briseis with her hand wrapped around her phone with a shit eating grin plastered on her face.

"Pat? You alright?" Machaon asks, like the mother hen he is.

Brisies snorts beside him. "Oh he's more than alright. He's in love."

He doesn't even bother to correct her.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same pat, same.
> 
> Comments are treasures! Share ur thoughts
> 
> Also, if u noticed. Achilles sprains his ankle, its basically a homage to the Achilles Heel from the myth. (Although, u could say he actually got stuck in the heart by Pat like how miller wrote it)


End file.
